Difference between revisions of "Ankara" - New World Encyclopedia

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{{Infobox town TR
 
{{Infobox town TR
 
   |name = Ankara
 
   |name = Ankara
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   |photo = Ankara City Center.jpg
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   |photo =Kocatepe Mosque Ankara.jpg
 
   |photo size = 250
 
   |photo size = 250
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   |photo cap = Ankara City Center
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   |photo cap = The modern Kocatepe Mosque, Ankara's largest mosque
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   |logo = Ankara flag.gif
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   |logo =  
 
   |logo size = 150
 
   |logo size = 150
 
   |logo cap = Coat of Arms of Ankara Municipality
 
   |logo cap = Coat of Arms of Ankara Municipality
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   |map cap = Location in [[Turkey]]
 
   |map cap = Location in [[Turkey]]
 
   |province = Ankara
 
   |province = Ankara
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   |population = 4,319,167
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   |population = 5,019,167
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   |population_as_of = 2005
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   |population_as_of = 2007
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   |population_ref = []
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   |population_ref =
 
   |pop_dens =  
 
   |pop_dens =  
 
   |area =   
 
   |area =   
 
   |lat_deg = 39
 
   |lat_deg = 39
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"A  |lat_min = 52
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  |lat_min = 52
 
   |lat_hem = N
 
   |lat_hem = N
 
   |lon_deg = 32
 
   |lon_deg = 32
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   |area_code = 0312
 
   |area_code = 0312
 
   |licence = 06
 
   |licence = 06
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   |mayor = İ. Melih Gökçek ([[Justice and Development Party]])
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   |mayor = [[İbrahim Melih Gökçek]]<br/>''[[Justice and Development Party]]''
 
   |website = [http://www.ankara.bel.tr/ http://www.ankara.bel.tr/]
 
   |website = [http://www.ankara.bel.tr/ http://www.ankara.bel.tr/]
 
}}
 
}}
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'''Ankara''' is the [[capital city|capital]] of [[Turkey]] and the country's second largest [[List of cities in Turkey|city]] after [[Istanbul|İstanbul]]. The city is located in the northwestern part of the country, and has a population (as of 2005) of 4,319,167 (Province 5,153,000), and a mean elevation of 850 m (2800 ft). It was formerly known as '''[[Angora]]'''. The [[Hittites]] gave it the name '''Ankuwash'''
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'''Ankara''' is the [[capital city|capital]] of [[Turkey]] and the country's second largest [[List of cities in Turkey|city]] after [[Istanbul|İstanbul]]. The city is located in the northwestern part of the country, and has a population, as of 2005, of 4,319,167 (Province 5,153,000), and a mean elevation of 850 m (2800 ft). It was formerly known as '''[[Angora]]'''. The [[Hittites]] gave it the name '''Ankuwash'''; the [[Galatia|Galatians]] and [[Roman Empire|Romans]] called it '''Ancyra'''; and in the [[classical period|classical]], [[Hellenistic period|Hellenistic]], and [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] periods it was known as {{Polytonic|Ἄγκυρα}} '''Ánkyra'''. Ankara also serves as the capital of the [[Ankara Province|Province of Ankara]].
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<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/seyahat/4407373.asp | title=Sadece siyaset ve diplomasiden, resmi binalardan ibaret değil, gezginlerin ilgisini çekebilecek özellikleri de var ANKARA | publisher=Hurriyet | accesssdate=2007-2-23}}</ref>, the [[Galatia|Galatians]] and [[Roman Empire|Romans]] called it '''Ancyra''', and in the [[classical period|classical]], [[Hellenistic period|Hellenistic]], and [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] periods it was known as {{Polytonic|Ἄγκυρα}} '''Ánkyra'''. Ankara also serves as the capital of the [[Ankara Province|Province of Ankara]].
 
  
 
Centrally located in [[Anatolia]], Ankara is an important commercial and industrial city. It is the center of the Turkish Government, and houses all foreign embassies. It is an important crossroads of trade, strategically located at the center of Turkey's highway and rail network, and serves as the marketing center for the surrounding agricultural area. Some of Turkey’s largest construction companies are based in Ankara, as are important defense industries such as the joint Turkish-American venture TUSAŞ Aerospace Industries, Incorporated. The city was famous for its long-haired [[Angora goat]] and its prized wool ([[mohair]]), a unique breed of cat ([[Turkish Angora|Angora cat]]), [[Angora rabbit|white rabbits]] and their prized wool ([[Angora wool]]), [[pear]]s, [[honey]], and the region's [[Muscat grape|muscat]] [[grapes]].
 
Centrally located in [[Anatolia]], Ankara is an important commercial and industrial city. It is the center of the Turkish Government, and houses all foreign embassies. It is an important crossroads of trade, strategically located at the center of Turkey's highway and rail network, and serves as the marketing center for the surrounding agricultural area. Some of Turkey’s largest construction companies are based in Ankara, as are important defense industries such as the joint Turkish-American venture TUSAŞ Aerospace Industries, Incorporated. The city was famous for its long-haired [[Angora goat]] and its prized wool ([[mohair]]), a unique breed of cat ([[Turkish Angora|Angora cat]]), [[Angora rabbit|white rabbits]] and their prized wool ([[Angora wool]]), [[pear]]s, [[honey]], and the region's [[Muscat grape|muscat]] [[grapes]].
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[[Image:Ankara Castle overlooking the city.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Ankara Castle and ancient citadel overlooking the modern city from above]]
 
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Ankara is situated upon a steep and rocky hill, which rises 500 ft. above the plain on the left bank of the ''Enguri Su'', a tributary of the [[Sakarya River|Sakarya]] (Sangarius) river. The city is located at 39°52'30" North, 32°52' East ({{coor d|39.875|N|32.8333|E|}}) and lies about 125 miles (200 km) south of the Black Sea. The city is one of the driest places in Turkey and is surrounded by a barren featureless steppe vegetation, with various [[Hittites|Hittite]], [[Phrygian]], [[Ancient Greece|Greek]], [[Roman Empire|Roman]], [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]], and [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] [[archaeological site]]s. It has a harsh, dry [[continental climate]] with cold, snowy winters and hot, dry summers. Rainfall occurs mostly during spring and autumn.
 
  
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The hill is crowned by the ruins of the old castle, which adds to the picturesqueness of the view; little else is preserved of the old town, which was not well built. Many of its houses were constructed of sun-dried mud bricks along narrow streets. {{Fact|date=February 2007}}  There are, however, many finely preserved remains of [[Architecture of Ancient Greece|Greek]], [[Roman Empire|Roman]] and [[Byzantine architecture]], the most remarkable being the Temple of [[Caesar Augustus|Augustus]] (20 BC) also known as the ''[[Monumentum Ancyranum]]''<sup>[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Augustus/Res_Gestae/home.html]</sup>
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Ankara is situated upon a steep and rocky hill, which rises 500 ft. above the plain on the left bank of the ''Enguri Su,'' a tributary of the [[Sakarya River|Sakarya]] (Sangarius) river. The city is located at 39°52'30" North, 32°52' East ({{coor d|39.875|N|32.8333|E|}}) and lies about 125 miles (200 km) south of the Black Sea. The city is one of the driest places in Turkey and is surrounded by a barren featureless steppe vegetation, with various [[Hittites|Hittite]], [[Phrygian]], [[Ancient Greece|Greek]], [[Roman Empire|Roman]], [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]], and [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] [[archaeological site]]s. It has a harsh, dry [[continental climate]] with cold, snowy winters and hot, dry summers. Rainfall occurs mostly during spring and autumn.
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{{toc}}
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The hill is crowned by the ruins of the old castle, which adds to the picturesque view; little else is preserved of the old town, which was not well built. Many of its houses were constructed of sun-dried mud bricks along narrow streets. There are, however, many finely preserved remains of [[Architecture of Ancient Greece|Greek]], [[Roman Empire|Roman]] and [[Byzantine architecture]], the most remarkable being the Temple of [[Caesar Augustus|Augustus]] (20 B.C.E.) also known as the ''[[Monumentum Ancyranum]].''  
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
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{{main|History of Ankara}}
 
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The region's vibrant history can be traced back to the [[Bronze Age]] [[Hattians|Hatti]] civilization, which was succeeded in the 2nd millennium B.C.E. by the [[Hittites]], in the 10th century B.C.E. by the [[Phrygians]], then by the [[Lydians]] and [[Persia]]ns.
 
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[[Image:Temple_of_Augustus_in_Ankara.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Temple of [[Augustus]] (20 B.C.E.) in Ankara, which is also known as the ''[[Monumentum Ancyranum]]'', contains the only known inscriptions attributed directly to the first [[Roman Empire|Roman]] emperor, the famous ''[[Res Gestae Divi Augusti]]'']]
 
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Historically viewed, the city was expanded and took the form of a known city mainly by the Greeks of [[Pontos]] who came there and developed the city as a trading center for commerce of goods between the Black Sea ports, Crimea, Armenia, Georgia on the north; Assyria, Cyprus, and Lebanon to the south and Persia to the east.
 
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By that period the city took also its name "Áγκυρα"-"Àngyra" that it is used until today by the Turks.
 
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It is said that a part of population came from "Γόρδιον"-"Gòrdio(n)" after an earthquake which took place in antiquity.
 
  
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Persian sovereignty lasted until the Persians' defeat at the hands of the Macedonian king [[Alexander the Great]]. In 333 B.C.E., Alexander came from [[Gordium]] to Ankara and stayed in the city for a period of time. After his death at [[Babylon]] in 323 B.C.E. and the subsequent division of his empire amongst his generals, Ankara and its environs fell into the share of [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonus]].  
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The region's vibrant history can be traced back to the [[Bronze Age]] [[Hattians|Hatti]] civilization, which was succeeded in the second millennium B.C.E.. by the [[Hittites]], in the tenth century B.C.E. by the [[Phrygians]], and then by the [[Lydians]] and [[Persia]]ns. The city was expanded by the Greeks of [[Pontos]], who developed it as a trading center for the commerce of goods between the [[Black Sea]] ports, [[Crimea]], [[Armenia]], and [[Georgia]] on the north; Assyria, Cyprus, and Lebanon to the south; and Persia to the east. By that period the city took also its name "Áγκυρα"-"Àngyra" which is still used until today by the Turks.
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In 278 B.C.E., Ankara was occupied by the [[Gaul]]ish race of [[Galatia]]ns, who were the first to make Ankara their capital. It was then known as '''Ancyra''', meaning "[[anchor]]" in [[Greek language|Greek]]. Ankara's organized and written history starts with the Galatians.
 
  
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The city subsequently fell to the [[Roman Empire]] in 189 B.C.E. and became the capital of the Roman province of [[Galatia]]. Under Roman rule, Ankara became a gate to the east for Rome, and as such was well developed, achieving the status of "city-state" or [[polis]]. The city's military as well as logistical significance lasted well into the long [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine reign]], even after its capital was moved to [[Constantinople]]. Although Ankara fell into the hands of several Arab armies numerous times after the 6th century, it remained an important crossroads polis within the Byzantine Empire until the late 11th century.
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Persian sovereignty lasted until the Persians were defeated at the hands of the Macedonian king [[Alexander the Great]]. In 333 B.C.E., Alexander came from [[Gordium]] to Ankara. After his death at [[Babylon]] in 323 and the subsequent division of his empire among his generals, Ankara and its environs came under the dominion of [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonus]].
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In 278 B.C.E., Ankara was occupied by the [[Gaul]]ish people of [[Galatia]], who were the first to make Ankara their capital. It was then known as ''Ancyra,'' meaning "[[anchor]]" in [[Greek language|Greek]]. Ankara's written history starts with the Galatians.
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[[Image:Galatia Map.png|thumb|left|250px|Ancyra was the capital of the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] province of [[Galatia]].
  
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In 1071 [[Seljuk Turks|Seljuk]] Sultan [[Alp Arslan|Alparslan]] threw open the door to Anatolia for the Turks by his victory at [[Battle of Manzikert|Malazgirt]]. He then annexed Ankara, an important location for military transportation and natural resources, to Turkish territory in 1073. Byzantine Emperor [[Alexios I Komnenos]] recaptured the city from the Turks during the [[First Crusade]]; the city was held by the Byzantines until the end of the [[twelfth century]], when it passed out of Byzantine control forever. [[Orhan I]], second "bey" of the [[Ottoman Empire]] captured the city in 1356. Another [[Turkic peoples|Turkic]] leader, [[Timur Lenk]] besieged Ankara as part of his campaign in Anatolia, but in 1403 Ankara was again under Ottoman control.  Ankara was the center of an [[Ankara Province, Ottoman Empire|Ankara Province]] in the later years of the empire.  
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The city subsequently fell to the [[Roman Empire]] in 189 B.C.E. and became the capital of the Roman province of [[Galatia]]. Under Roman rule, Ankara was a gateway to the east for Rome, and as such was well developed, achieving the status of "city-state" or ''[[polis]].'' The city's military as well as logistical significance lasted well into the long reign of the [[Byzantine Empire]], even after the empire's capital was moved from Rome to [[Constantinople]]. Although Ankara temporarily fell into the hands of several Arab armies after the sixth century, it remained an important crossroads polis within the Byzantine Empire until the late eleventh century.
  
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[[Image:Res_Gestae_Divi_Augusti_in_Ankara.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Augustus]] tells us his own life story in the ''[[Res Gestae Divi Augusti]]'']]
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In 1071 [[Seljuk Turks|Seljuk]] Sultan [[Alp Arslan|Alparslan]] threw open the door to [[Anatolia]] for the Turks by his victory at [[Battle of Manzikert|Malazgirt]]. He then annexed Ankara as Turkish territory in 1073. Byzantine Emperor [[Alexios I Komnenos]] recaptured the city, an important location for military transportation and natural resources, from the Turks during the [[First Crusade]]. Ankara was held by the Byzantines until the end of the [[twelfth century]], when it passed out of Byzantine control forever. [[Orhan I]], second "bey" of the [[Ottoman Empire]] captured the city in 1356. A rival [[Turkic peoples|Turkic]] leader, [[Timur Lenk]], besieged Ankara as part of his campaign in Anatolia, but in 1403 Ankara was again under Ottoman control. The city was the center of an [[Ankara Province, Ottoman Empire|Ankara Province]] in the later years of the empire.  
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At the close of [[World War I]], Turkey was under the control of the Ottoman sultan and having lost the war, was being shared by [[Greece|Greeks]], [[France|French]], [[United Kingdom|British]], and [[Italy|Italians]]. The leader of the Turkish nationalists, [[Kemal Atatürk]] established the headquarters of his resistance movement in Ankara in 1919 (See [[Treaty of Sèvres]] and [[Turkish War of Independence]]). After the War of Independence was won and the Ottoman Empire was dissolved, Turkey was declared a [[republic]] on October 29, 1923, Ankara having replaced [[İstanbul]] (formerly [[Constantinople]]) as the capital of the new [[Republic of Turkey]] on October 13, 1923.
 
  
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After Ankara became the capital of the newly founded Republic of Turkey, new developments divided the city into an old section, called '''Ulus''', and a new section, called '''Yenişehir'''. Ancient buildings reflecting Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman history and narrow winding streets mark the old section. The new section, now centered around '''Kızılay''', has the trappings of a more modern city: wide streets, hotels, theaters, shopping malls, and high-rises. Government offices and foreign embassies are also located in the new section.
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[[Image:Anitkabir.DO.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Anıtkabir, [[Atatürk]]'s mausoleum]]
  
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The leader of the Turkish nationalists, [[Kemal Atatürk]], established the headquarters of his resistance movement in Ankara in 1919. After the War of Independence was won and the Ottoman Empire was dissolved, Turkey was declared a [[republic]] on October 29, 1923, Ankara having replaced [[İstanbul]] (formerly [[Constantinople]]) as the capital of the new [[Republic of Turkey]] on October 13, 1923.
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==Attractions==
 
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===General attractions===
 
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[[Image:Anitkabir.DO.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Anıtkabir, [[Atatürk]]'s mausoleum.]]
 
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[[Image:AnatolianCivMuseum.DO.jpg|right|thumb|150px|A [[Hattian]] artifact, from the 3rd millennium B.C.E., in the [[Museum of Anatolian Civilizations]]]]
 
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[[Image:Roman_Baths_in_Ankara.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Roman Bath in Ankara]]
 
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[[Image:Roman_Baths_of_Ankara.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Another view of the Roman Bath]]
 
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[[Image:Roman_Amphitheater_in_Ankara.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Ruins of the Roman amphitheater]]
 
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[[Anıtkabir]] is located on an imposing hill in the ''Anittepe'' quarter of the city stands the mausoleum of [[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]], founder of the Republic of Turkey. Completed in 1953, it is an impressive fusion of ancient and modern architecture. An adjacent museum houses a superior wax statue of Atatürk, his writings, letters and personal items, as well as an exhibition of photographs recording important moments in his life and in the establishment of the Republic (Anitkabir is open everyday, and the adjacent museum every day except Mondays).
 
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*The [[Ankara Ethnography Museum]] (''Etnoğrafya Müzesi''): This museum is opposite the Opera House on Talat Pasa Boulevard, in Ulus district. There is a fine collection of folkloric as well as Seljuk- and Ottoman-era artifacts.
 
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*The [[Museum of Anatolian Civilizations]] (''Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi''): Situated at the Ankara Castle entrance, it is an old "bedesten" (covered bazaar) that has been beautifully restored and now houses a unique collection of [[Paleolithic]], [[Neolithic]], [[Hatti]], [[Hittites|Hittite]], [[Phrygia]]n, [[Urartu|Urartian]], and [[Roman Empire|Roman]] works and showpiece [[Lydia]]n treasures.  
 
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*The Çengelhan Rahmi M. Koç Museum (''Çengelhan Rahmi M. Koç Müzesi''): An industrial museum opposite the entrance to the Citadel, close to Anatolian Civilization Museum. Located in the historic Çengelhan - a former Caravanserai, built in 1522 - the Museum displays huge variety of exhibits on such diverse themes as Engineering, Road Transport, Scientific Instruments, Maritime, Medicine, and many others. The beautiful and atmospheric courtyard now houses the newly restored shop where the founder of the Koç Group, Mr Vehbi Koç started his working life. And when you have finished your museum visit, you can relax in either the Divan Café or the sophisticated Divan Brasserie in the courtyard.
 
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*The [[State Art and Sculpture Museum]] (The Painting and Sculpture Museum) (''Resim-Heykel Müzesi''): Close to the Ethnography Museum and houses a rich collection of Turkish art from the late 19th century to the present day. There are also galleries which host guest exhibitions.
 
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*The War of Independence Museum (''Kurtuluş Savaşı Müzesi''): In Ulus Square, is what was originally the first parliament building of the Republic of Turkey. The War of Independence was planned and directed here as recorded in various photographs and items presently on exhibition. In another display, wax figures of former presidents of the Republic of Turkey are on exhibit.
 
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*The TCDD [[Locomotive]] Museum: Near the railway station by Celal Bayar Blvd., is an open-air museum that traces the history of steam locomotion through the locomotives and artifacts on display.
 
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===Archeological sites===
 
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*Ankara Citadel: The foundations of the citadel were laid by the Galatians on a prominent [[lava]] outcrop, and the rest was completed by the Romans. The Byzantines and Seljuk Turks made further restorations and additions. The area around and inside the citadel, being the oldest part of Ankara, contains many fine examples of traditional architecture. There are also recreational areas to relax. Many restored traditional Turkish houses inside the citadel area have found new life as restaurants, serving local cuisine, music and of course, [[Raki]].
 
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*Roman Theater: The remains, the stage, and the backstage, can be seen outside the castle. Roman statues that were found here are exhibited in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (see above). The seating area is still under excavation.
 
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*Temple of Augustus: It was built by the Galatian King [[Pylamenes]] in [[10]] as a tribute and sign of fidelity to [[Augustus]], and was reconstructed by the Romans on the ancient Ankara Acropolis in the 2nd century. It is important for the [[Monument Ancyranum]], the sole surviving political testament of Augustus, detailing his achievements inscribed on its walls in [[Latin]] and [[Greek language|Greek]]. In the fifth century the temple was converted into a church by the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantines]]. The temple is in the Ulus quarter of the city.
 
  
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*Roman Bath: This bath has all the typical features of a classical [[Roman bath]]: a frigidarium (cold room), tepidarium (cool room) and caldarium (hot room). The bath was built in the reign of Emperor [[Caracalla]] in 3rd century AD to honour the [[Asclepios]], the God of Medicine. Today only the basement and first floors remain. Situated in Ulus quarter.
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After Ankara became the capital of the newly founded Republic, the city was divided into an old section, called '''Ulus''', and a new section, called '''Yenişehir'''. Ancient buildings reflecting Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman history and narrow winding streets mark the old section. The new section, now centered around '''Kızılay''', has the trappings of a modern city: wide streets, hotels, theaters, shopping malls, and high-rise buildings. Government offices and foreign embassies are also located in the new section.
  
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*Column of Julian: This column, in Ulus, was erected in 362, to commemorate a visit by the Roman Emperor [[Julian the Apostate|Julian]]. It stands fifteen meters high and has a typical leaf decoration on the capital.
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==Archaeological sites==
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[[Image:MonumentumAncyranum28Nov2004.jpg|thumb|Ankara's Temple of Augustus]]
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The Ankara Citadel ''(Ankara Kalesi)'' is the oldest part of the city, and rests on a hill 978 meters high. It has hosted several civilizations at various periods of history. The foundations of the citadel were laid by the Galatians on a prominent [[lava]] outcrop. During the Galatian period the castle was enlarged and city walls added and brought to a position completely overlooking the town, and the rest was completed by the Romans. The Byzantines and [[Seljuk Turks]] made further restorations and additions.
  
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===Modern monuments===
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Roman Ankara was a city of some importance, and several significant Roman structures remain, including a Roman theater, [[Temple of Augustus]], Roman bath and the Column of [[Julian]]. This column, in Ulus, was erected in 362 C.E., to commemorate a visit by the Roman Emperor [[Julian the Apostate]], nephew of [[Constantine the Great]], and Rome's last pagan emperor. It stands 15 meters high and has a typical leaf decoration on the capital.
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*Monument to a Secure, Confident Future: This monument, in Güven Park, Bakanlıklar quarter, was erected in 1935 and bears Atatürk's advice to his people: "Turk! Be proud, work hard, and believe in yourself."
 
  
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*Victory Monument (''Zafer Anıtı''): Erected in 1927 in Zafer Square in the Sıhhiye quarter, it depicts Atatürk in uniform.
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The Haci Bayram Mosque is in the Ulus quarter next to the [[Monumentum Ancyranum|Temple of Augustus]]. It was built in the early fifteenth century in [[Seljuk Turks|Seljuk]] style by an unknown architect. It was subsequently restored by the famed Ottoman architect [[Sinan]] in the sixteenth century, with [[Kütahya]] tiles being added in the eighteenth century. The mosque was built in honor of [[Haci Bayram|Haci Bayram Veli]], whose tomb is next to the mosque, two years before his death (1427-1428). Open space of this mosque is 437 square meters on the ground floor and 263 square meters on the second floor.
  
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*Hatti Monument: Built in the 1970's in Sıhhiye Square, this impressive monument symbolizes the Hatti gods and commemorates Anatolia's earliest known civilization.
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==Modern Ankara==
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[[Image:Atakule Tower in Ankara.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Atakule Tower]] in central Ankara]]
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While Istanbul is steeped in centuries of history, and remains the country's business and financial center, Ankara is the showcase of modern Turkey. Modern Ankara is a planned city. When the Republic's founder [[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]] declared it the new nation's capital, it was a dusty Anatolian backwater of 30,000 people. He brought urban planners from Europe who created a city of broad avenues, green parks, and an artificial lake, all surrounded by modern residential and diplomatic residences.
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===Mosques===
 
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*[[Kocatepe Mosque]]: This [[mosque]] was constructed in the late 20th century in accordance with classical [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] models, which emphasize the placement of four minarets. Its size and prominent location make it a landmark that can be seen from almost anywhere in central Ankara.
 
  
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*Haci Bayram Mosque [http://www.HaciBayramiVeli.com]: This mosque, in Ulus quarter next to the [[Monumentum Ancyranum|Temple of Augustus]], was built in the early 15th century in [[Seljuk Turks|Seljuk]] style by an unknown architect. It was subsequently restored by architect [[Sinan]] in the 16th century, with [[Kütahya]] tiles being added in the 18th century. The mosque was built in honor of [[Haci Bayram|Haci Bayram Veli]], whose tomb is next to the mosque, two years before his death (1427-28). Open space of this mosque is 437 square meter at first floor and 263 square meter at second floor.
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At the heart of modern Ankara is Atatürk's mausoleum, [[Anıtkabir]]. It is located on an imposing hill in the ''Anittepe'' quarter of the city and is a place of pilgrimage for all Turks. Completed in 1953, it is an impressive fusion of ancient and modern architecture. An adjacent museum houses a wax statue of Atatürk, his writings, letters and personal items, as well as an exhibition of photographs recording important moments in his life and in the establishment of the Republic.
  
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===Parks===
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Ankara's premier museum is the [[Museum of Anatolian Civilizations]] ''(Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi).'' It is housed in a restored Ottoman covered market. It houses a unique collection of [[Paleolithic]], [[Neolithic]], [[Hatti]], [[Hittites|Hittite]], [[Phrygia]]n, [[Urartu|Urartian]], and [[Roman Empire|Roman]] works and showpiece [[Lydia]]n treasures.  
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Ankara has many parks and open spaces mainly established in the early years of the Republic and well maintained and expanded thereafter. The most important of these parks are: Gençlik Park (houses an amusement park with a large pond for rowing), the Botanical Garden, Seğmenler Park, Anayasa Park, Kuğulu Park (famous for the swans received as a gift from the [[China|Chinese]] government), [[Abdi Ipekci]] Park, Güven Park (see above for the monument), Kurtuluş Park (has an ice-skating rink), Altın Park (also a prominent exposition/fair area), Harikalar Diyari (claimed to be Biggest Park of Europe inside city borders) and Göksu Park.  
 
  
 
[[Image:Ankaracenter.jpg|left|thumb|200px| Kızılay, a popular destination for shopping in central Ankara]]
 
[[Image:Ankaracenter.jpg|left|thumb|200px| Kızılay, a popular destination for shopping in central Ankara]]
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[[Image:Goksu Park Ankara.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Göksu Park in the Eryaman district]]
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The War of Independence Museum ''(Kurtuluş Savaşı Müzesi)'' is in Ulus Square, and was the first parliament building of the Republic of Turkey. The War of Independence was planned and directed here as recorded in various photographs and items presently on exhibition. In another display, wax figures of former presidents of the Republic of Turkey are on exhibit.
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*Atatürk Farm and Zoo (''Atatürk Orman Çiftliği, AOÇ''): an expansive recreational farming area housing a [[zoo]], several small agricultural farms, [[greenhouse]]s, restaurants, a [[Dairy farming|dairy farm]] and a [[brewery]]. It is a pleasant place to spend a day with family, be it for having picnics, hiking, biking or simply enjoying good food and nature. There is also an exact replica of the house where Atatürk was born in 1881, in [[Thessaloniki]], [[Greece]]. Visitors to the "Çiftlik" (farm) as it is affectionately called by Ankarans, can sample such famous products of the farm such as old-fashioned beer and ice cream, fresh dairy products and meat rolls/kebaps made on charcoal, at traditional restaurant (''Merkez Lokantasi'', Central Restaurant), cafés and other establishments scattered in the farm.
 
  
−
===Shopping===
+
Ankara has many parks and open spaces mainly established in the early years of the Republic which have been well maintained and expanded thereafter. The most important of these parks are: Gençlik Park (houses an amusement park with a large pond for rowing), the Botanical Garden, Seğmenler Park, Anayasa Park, Kuğulu Park (famous for the swans received as a gift from the [[China|Chinese]] government), [[Abdi Ipekci]] Park, Güven Park (see above for the monument), Kurtuluş Park (has an ice-skating rink), Altın Park (also a prominent exposition/fair area), Harikalar Diyari (claimed to be Biggest Park of Europe inside city borders) and Göksu Park.  
−
[[Image:Karum Inside.HB.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Interior view of Karum Shopping & Business Center]]
 
−
[[Image:Armada Shopping Mall and Tower in Ankara.jpg|thumb|200px|Armada Shopping Mall & Tower won "Europe's Best Mall" award by ICSC in 2003]]
 
−
Foreign visitors to Ankara usually like to visit the old shops in ''Çıkrıkçılar Yokuşu'' (Weavers' road) near Ulus, where a myriad of things ranging from traditional fabrics, hand-woven carpets and leather products can be found for bargain prices. ''Bakırcılar Çarşısı'' (Bazaar of coppersmiths) is particularly popular, and many interesting items, not just of copper, can be found here like jewelry, carpets, costumes, antiques and embroidery. Up the hill to the castle gate, there are many shops selling a huge and fresh collection of spices, dried fruits, nuts, and other produce.
 
  
−
Modern shopping areas are mostly found in Kızılay, or on Tunalı Hilmi Avenue, including the modern mall of Karum which is located to the end of the Avenue; and in the [[Atakule Tower]] in Çankaya. Çankaya being the quarter with the highest elevation in the city, the tower has a magnificent view over the whole city, and also has a [[revolving restaurant]] at the top where the complete panorama can be enjoyed in a more leisurely fashion.  
+
Foreign visitors to Ankara usually like to visit the old shops in ''Çıkrıkçılar Yokuşu'' (Weavers' road) near Ulus, where a myriad of things ranging from traditional fabrics, hand-woven carpets and leather products can be found for bargain prices. The ''Bakırcılar Çarşısı'' (Bazaar of coppersmiths) is particularly popular, and many interesting items, not just of copper, can be found there like jewelry, carpets, costumes, antiques and embroidery. Up the hill to the castle gate, there are many shops selling a huge and fresh collection of spices, dried fruits, nuts, and other produce.
  
−
As Ankara started expanding westward in the 1970s, there are several modern, suburbia-style developments and mini-cities along the western highway, also known as [[Eskişehir]] road. The Armada mall on the highway, the Galleria in Ümitköy, and a huge mall in Bilkent Center offering North American and European style mall-shopping opportunities (These can be reached following the Eskişehir highway). There is also the newly expanded Ankamall on the outskirts following the Istanbul highway which houses most well-known European brands. This mall is the largest in the Ankara region.
+
As Ankara started expanding westward in the 1970s, there were several modern, suburbia-style developments and mini-cities along the western highway, also known as [[Eskişehir]] road. The Armada mall on the highway, the Galleria in Ümitköy, and a huge mall in Bilkent Center offer North American and European style mall-shopping opportunities. (These can be reached following the Eskişehir highway). There is also the newly expanded Ankamall on the outskirts following the Istanbul highway which houses most well-known European brands. This mall is the largest in the Ankara region.
  
 
==Universities==
 
==Universities==
−
[[Image:Gazi University in Ankara.jpg|thumb|200px|Gazi University]]
+
Ankara is known for the multitude of universities to which it is home. These include the following, several of them being among the most reputable of the country:
−
Ankara is known for the multitude of universities it is home to.  
 
−
These include the following, several of them being among the most  
 
−
reputable of the country:
 
  
−
* [[Ankara University]] [http://www.ankara.edu.tr] (Ankara Üniversitesi)
+
* [[Ankara University]]
−
* [[Atilim University|Atılım University]] [http://www.atilim.edu.tr] (Atılım Üniversitesi)
+
* [[Atilim University|Atılım University]]  
−
* [[Baskent University|Başkent University]] [http://www.baskent.edu.tr] (Başkent Üniversitesi)
+
* [[Baskent University|Başkent University]]  
−
* [[Bilkent University]] [http://www.bilkent.edu.tr] (Bilkent Üniversitesi)
+
* [[Bilkent University]]  
−
* [[Cankaya University|Çankaya University]] [http://www.cankaya.edu.tr] (Çankaya Üniversitesi)
+
* [[Cankaya University|Çankaya University]]  
−
* [[Gazi University]] [http://www.gazi.edu.tr] (Gazi Üniversitesi)
+
* [[Gazi University]]  
−
* [[Gulhane Military Academy of Medicine]] [http://www.gata.edu.tr] ([[Gulhane Askeri Tip Akademisi]])
+
* [[Gulhane Military Academy of Medicine]] Akademisi
−
* [[Hacettepe University]] [http://www.hacettepe.edu.tr] (Hacettepe Üniversitesi)
+
* [[Hacettepe University]] [http://www.hacettepe.edu.tr English and Turkish]. ''www.hacettepe.edu.tr''. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
−
* [[Middle East Technical University]] [http://www.odtu.edu.tr] (Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi)
+
 
−
* [[TOBB Economics And Technology University]] [http://www.etu.edu.tr] (TOBB Ekonomi ve Teknoloji Üniversitesi)
+
* [[Middle East Technical University]] [http://www.odtu.edu.tr English and Turkish]. ''www.odtu.edu.tr''. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
−
* [[Ufuk University]] [http://www.ufuk.edu.tr] (Ufuk Üniversitesi)
+
 +
* [[TOBB Economics And Technology University]] [http://www.etu.edu.tr English and Turkish]. ''www.etu.edu.tr''. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
 +
* [[Ufuk University]] [http://www.ufuk.edu.tr Turkish only]. ''www.ufuk.edu.tr''. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
  
 
==Transportation==
 
==Transportation==
−
[[Image:Esenboga Ankara.jpg|thumb|214px|left|[[Esenboga International Airport|Esenboğa International Airport]]]]
+
[[Image:AnkaraRapidTransitNetwork.svg|thumb|300px|Metro map showing layout of the Ankara Rapid Transit Network]]
−
[[Image:Ankara subway station.jpg|thumb|200px|A subway station in Ankara]]
 
 
[[Esenboga International Airport|Esenboğa International Airport]], located in the north of the city, is the main airport of Ankara.  
 
[[Esenboga International Airport|Esenboğa International Airport]], located in the north of the city, is the main airport of Ankara.  
  
−
[http://www.asti.com.tr Ankara Intercity Bus Terminal] ([[Turkish language|Turkish]]: Ankara Şehirlerarası Terminal İşletmesi, AŞTİ) is an important part of the bus network which covers every neighbourhood in the city.  
+
[http://www.asti.com.tr Ankara Intercity Bus Terminal] ([[Turkish language|Turkish]]: Ankara Şehirlerarası Terminal İşletmesi, AŞTİ) is an important part of the bus network which covers every neighborhood in the city.  
  
−
The central train station "Ankara Garı" of [[Turkish Republic Railways]] ([[Turkish language|Turkish]]: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları, TCDD) is an important hub connecting western and eastern parts of the country.
+
The central train station "Ankara Garı" of [[Turkish Republic Railways]] ([[Turkish language|Turkish]]: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları, TCDD) is an important hub connecting the western and eastern parts of the country.
  
 
[http://www.ego.gov.tr EGO] (Elektrik Gaz Otobüs) operates the public transportation. There are currently two subway lines in the city and three more are under construction.
 
[http://www.ego.gov.tr EGO] (Elektrik Gaz Otobüs) operates the public transportation. There are currently two subway lines in the city and three more are under construction.
 
{{clr}}
 
{{clr}}
−
 
−
==Sports==
 
−
[[Image:Ankaraskate.jpg|thumb|200px| Skateboarding in Ankara]]
 
−
 
−
The city has three [[Football team|football clubs]] currently competing in the [[Turkcell Super League]]: [[Gençlerbirliği S.K.|Gençlerbirliği]] (finished 5th in the league), [[Büyükşehir Belediye Ankaraspor]] (finished 7th in the league), and [[Ankaragücü]] (finished 13th in the league). 19 Mayis Stadium is the venue for football games. In the Turkish Basketball League, Ankara is represented by [[Türk Telekom]].
 
−
 
−
There are many popular spots for skateboarding which is active in the city since the early 1980s. Skaters in Ankara usually meet in the park near the parliament building.
 
−
 
−
==Other==
 
−
===Ankara Kedisi (Turkish Angora Cat)===
 
−
Ankara is also home to a world famous cat breed — the [[Turkish Angora]], called "Ankara Kedisi" in Turkish. They are medium to small in size, longhaired, long-bodied, relatively fine-boned. Besides their beauty and the athletic grace, Turkish Angora cats are also well known for their intelligence. For instance, it is not uncommon for an Angora cat to play fetch or to open doors.
 
−
{{clr}}
 
−
 
−
==Views of Ankara==
 
−
 
−
<gallery>
 
−
Image:Armada_Mall_and_Tower_in_Ankara.jpg|Armada Tower & Mall, "Europe's Best Mall 2003"
 
−
Image:Akman Tower in Ankara.jpg|Contemporary architecture in Ankara
 
−
Image:Karum Shopping Mall and Sheraton Hotel in Ankara.jpg|Karum Shopping Mall and Sheraton Hotel
 
−
Image:Atakule Tower on a snowy day.jpg|[[Atakule Tower]] on a snowy winter day
 
−
Image:Ankara.jpg|View of central Ankara from the Botanical Garden
 
−
Image:Ankara_Painting_and_Sculpture_Museum.jpg|[[State Art and Sculpture Museum]]
 
−
Image:Ziraat Bank Building in Ankara.jpg|Ziraat Bank Headquarters
 
−
Image:State Theater Building in Ankara.jpg|State Theater Building
 
−
Image:The former Ministry of Finance Building in Ankara.jpg|Former Ministry of Finance Building
 
−
Image:Ankara Palas Hotel.jpg|Ankara Palas Hotel
 
−
Image:Türkiye İş Bankası Building in Ankara.jpg|Türkiye İş Bankası
 
−
Image:Central Ankara.jpg|Buildings of central Ankara
 
−
Image:Kızılay Square in central Ankara.jpg|Kızılay Square
 
−
Image:Modern buildings on Kızılay Square in Ankara.jpg|Modern buildings on Kızılay Square
 
−
Image:Turkish Parliament in Ankara.jpg|Turkish Parliament
 
−
Image:Neoclassical buildings and Sheraton Hotel in central Ankara.jpg|Sheraton Hotel
 
−
Image:Sheraton Hotel and Beymen Building in Ankara.jpg|Sheraton Hotel and Beymen Building
 
−
Image:Distant view of Armada Tower in Ankara.jpg|Distant view of Armada Tower
 
−
Image:Atakule Tower Ankara.jpg|[[Atakule Tower]] in central Ankara
 
−
Image:Atakule Tower and Mall in Ankara.jpg|Atakule Tower & Mall
 
−
Image:Ankara subway interior view.jpg|Ankara subway train
 
−
Image:Triangular fountain in Ankara.jpg|Triangular fountain in central Ankara
 
−
Image:Dikmen_Ankara.jpg|Dikmen Valley, an urban renewal project of Ankara
 
−
Image:Dikmen Valley in Ankara.jpg|Dikmen Valley
 
−
Image:Atakule_Ankara.jpg|View of [[Atakule Tower]]
 
−
Image:Cafes on Arjantin Avenue in Ankara.jpg|Cafés on Arjantin Avenue
 
−
Image:Ankara Esenboga Airport.jpg|[[Esenboga International Airport|Esenboğa International Airport]]
 
−
Image:Esenboga Ankara.jpg|[[Esenboga International Airport|Esenboğa International Airport]]
 
−
Image:Esenboga Airport in Ankara.jpg|[[Esenboga International Airport|Esenboğa International Airport]]
 
−
Image:Esenboga International Airport.jpg|[[Esenboga International Airport|Esenboğa International Airport]]
 
−
Image:Ankara skyline from above.gif|Ankara skyline
 
−
Image:Ankara skyline.gif|Ankara skyline
 
−
</gallery>
 
−
 
−
==Sister Cities==
 
−
 
−
{|
 
−
| valign="top" |
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Turkmenistan.svg|20px]] [[Ashgabat]] ([[Turkmenistan]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Kazakhstan.svg|20px]] [[Astana]] ([[Kazakhstan]])
 
−
*{{flagicon|People's Republic of China}} [[Beijing]] ([[China]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg|20px]] [[Bishkek]] ([[Kyrgyzstan]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Romania.svg|20px]] [[Bucharest]] ([[Romania]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Moldova.svg|20px]] [[Chişinău]] ([[Moldova]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Tajikistan.svg|20px]] [[Dushanbe]] ([[Tajikistan]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Pakistan.svg|20px]] [[Islamabad]] ([[Pakistan]])
 
−
| valign="top" |
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Vietnam.svg|20px]] [[Hanoi]] ([[Vietnam]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Ukraine.svg|20px]] [[Kiev]] ([[Ukraine]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Malaysia.svg|20px]] [[Kuala Lumpur]] ([[Malaysia]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Kuwait.svg|20px]] [[Kuwait]] (Kuwait)
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.svg|20px]] [[Lefkoşa]] ([[TRNC|Northern Cyprus]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Bahrain.svg|20px]] [[Manama]] ([[Bahrain]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Russia.svg|20px]] [[Moscow]] ([[Russia]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Chile.svg|20px]] [[Santiago, Chile|Santiago]] ([[Chile]])
 
−
| valign="top" |
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg|20px]] [[Sarajevo]] ([[Bosnia and Herzegovina]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of South Korea.svg|20px]] [[Seoul]] ([[South Korea]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Macedonia.svg|20px]] [[Skopje]] ([[Republic of Macedonia]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Bulgaria.svg|20px]] [[Sofia]] ([[Bulgaria]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Georgia.svg|20px]] [[Tbilisi]] ([[Georgia (country)|Georgia]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Albania.svg|20px]] [[Tirana]] ([[Albania]])
 
−
*[[Image:Flag of Russia.svg|20px]] [[Ufa]] ([[Russia]])
 
−
|}
 
−
 
−
==See also==
 
−
* [[Synod of Ancyra]]
 
−
* [[State Art and Sculpture Museum]]
 
−
* [[Museum of Anatolian Civilizations]]
 
−
* [[Ankara Ethnography Museum]]
 
−
* [[Names of European cities in different languages]]
 
−
* [[Names of Asian cities in different languages]]
 
−
* [[Turkish Angora cat]]
 
−
 
−
==Famous people from Ankara==
 
−
* [[Ekrem Bora]]
 
−
* [[Can Dündar]]
 
−
* [[Çilekeş]]
 
−
* [[Nil Karaibrahimgil]]
 
−
* [[Funda Arar]]
 
−
* [[Filiz Akın]]
 
−
* [[Hande Dalkılıç]]
 
−
* [[İdil Biret]]
 
−
* [[Özlem Tekin]]
 
−
* [[Pilli Bebek]]
 
−
* [[Joe Strummer]]
 
−
* [[Vehbi Koç]]
 
−
* [[Vedat Dalokay]]
 
−
* [[maNga]]
 
−
* [[Yağmur Sarıgül]]
 
−
* [[Yasemin Dalkılıç]]
 
−
* [[Zerrin Özer]]
 
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
  
 +
* "Ankara," ''Encyclopedia Britannica.'' 2007 Deluxe DVD Edition. ASIN B000GCBOJ8
 +
* Brosnahan, Tom and Pat Yale. ''Lonely Planet Turkey: A Travel Survival Kit.'' Lonely Planet Publications, 1996. ISBN 0864423640
 +
* Chapin-Metz, Helen, ed. ''Turkey: A Country Study,'' 5th edition. Claitor's Law Books and Publishing Division, 1997. ISBN 1579800556
  
−
"Ankara," Encyclopedia Britannica. 2007 Deluxe DVD Edition. ASIN B000GCBOJ8
+
==External links==
−
 
+
All links retrieved July 27, 2023.  
−
Brosnahan, Tom, Yale, Pat. Turkey: A Lonely Planet travel survival kit. London: Lonely Planet Publications, paperback 1996. ISBN 0864423640
 
−
 
 
−
"Ankara," Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2007
 
−
 
 
−
Chapin Metz, Helen, editor. Turkey: A country study. Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. 1995 ISBN 1579800556
 
−
 
 
−
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. Background Note: Turkey. June 2007  http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3432.htm#history
 
−
 
 
−
"Turkey," Central intelligence Agency. The World Factbook 2007. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tu.html
 
  
−
==External links==
+
*[http://www.ankara.bel.tr/ Municipality of Ankara]. ''www.ankara.bel.tr''.
−
{{commons|Ankara}}
+
*[http://www.ankara.gov.tr/ Governor of Ankara]. ''www.ankara.gov.tr''.
 +
*[http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3432.htm#history History of Turkey] ''www.state.gov''.
  
−
*[http://www.esenboga.com/ Esenboga Ankara Airport]
 
−
*[http://www.ankara.bel.tr/ Municipality of Ankara]
 
−
*[http://www.ankara.gov.tr/ Governor of Ankara]
 
−
*[http://goturkey.kultur.gov.tr/BelgeGoster.aspx?17A16AE30572D3137A2395174CFB32E189326D2B69E01EEB Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism's ''Ankara'' page]
 
−
*[http://www.turkeyforecast.com/weather/ankara/ Ankara Weather Forecast Information]
 
  
−
{{Districts of Turkey|provname=Ankara|image=Ankara|}}
 
  
−
[[category:nations and places]]
 
 
{{credit|112798819}}
 
{{credit|112798819}}
 +
[[Category:Geography]]

Latest revision as of 06:36, 28 July 2023

Flag of Turkey.svgAnkara
The modern Kocatepe Mosque, Ankara's largest mosque
The modern Kocatepe Mosque, Ankara's largest mosque
Location in Turkey
Location in Turkey
Overview
Province Ankara Province
Population 5,019,167 (2007)
Elevation 850 m
Coordinates 39°52′N 32°52′E / 39.867, 32.867Coordinates: 39°52′N 32°52′E / 39.867, 32.867
Postal code 06x xx
Area code 0312
Licence plate code 06
Mayor İbrahim Melih Gökçek
Justice and Development Party
Website http://www.ankara.bel.tr/

Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after İstanbul. The city is located in the northwestern part of the country, and has a population, as of 2005, of 4,319,167 (Province 5,153,000), and a mean elevation of 850 m (2800 ft). It was formerly known as Angora. The Hittites gave it the name Ankuwash; the Galatians and Romans called it Ancyra; and in the classical, Hellenistic, and Byzantine periods it was known as Ἄγκυρα Ánkyra. Ankara also serves as the capital of the Province of Ankara.

Centrally located in Anatolia, Ankara is an important commercial and industrial city. It is the center of the Turkish Government, and houses all foreign embassies. It is an important crossroads of trade, strategically located at the center of Turkey's highway and rail network, and serves as the marketing center for the surrounding agricultural area. Some of Turkey’s largest construction companies are based in Ankara, as are important defense industries such as the joint Turkish-American venture TUSAŞ Aerospace Industries, Incorporated. The city was famous for its long-haired Angora goat and its prized wool (mohair), a unique breed of cat (Angora cat), white rabbits and their prized wool (Angora wool), pears, honey, and the region's muscat grapes.

Ankara is situated upon a steep and rocky hill, which rises 500 ft. above the plain on the left bank of the Enguri Su, a tributary of the Sakarya (Sangarius) river. The city is located at 39°52'30" North, 32°52' East (39.875° N 32.8333° E) and lies about 125 miles (200 km) south of the Black Sea. The city is one of the driest places in Turkey and is surrounded by a barren featureless steppe vegetation, with various Hittite, Phrygian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman archaeological sites. It has a harsh, dry continental climate with cold, snowy winters and hot, dry summers. Rainfall occurs mostly during spring and autumn.

The hill is crowned by the ruins of the old castle, which adds to the picturesque view; little else is preserved of the old town, which was not well built. Many of its houses were constructed of sun-dried mud bricks along narrow streets. There are, however, many finely preserved remains of Greek, Roman and Byzantine architecture, the most remarkable being the Temple of Augustus (20 B.C.E.) also known as the Monumentum Ancyranum.

History

The region's vibrant history can be traced back to the Bronze Age Hatti civilization, which was succeeded in the second millennium B.C.E. by the Hittites, in the tenth century B.C.E. by the Phrygians, and then by the Lydians and Persians. The city was expanded by the Greeks of Pontos, who developed it as a trading center for the commerce of goods between the Black Sea ports, Crimea, Armenia, and Georgia on the north; Assyria, Cyprus, and Lebanon to the south; and Persia to the east. By that period the city took also its name "Áγκυρα"-"Àngyra" which is still used until today by the Turks.

Persian sovereignty lasted until the Persians were defeated at the hands of the Macedonian king Alexander the Great. In 333 B.C.E., Alexander came from Gordium to Ankara. After his death at Babylon in 323 and the subsequent division of his empire among his generals, Ankara and its environs came under the dominion of Antigonus.

In 278 B.C.E., Ankara was occupied by the Gaulish people of Galatia, who were the first to make Ankara their capital. It was then known as Ancyra, meaning "anchor" in Greek. Ankara's written history starts with the Galatians. [[Image:Galatia Map.png|thumb|left|250px|Ancyra was the capital of the Roman province of Galatia.

The city subsequently fell to the Roman Empire in 189 B.C.E. and became the capital of the Roman province of Galatia. Under Roman rule, Ankara was a gateway to the east for Rome, and as such was well developed, achieving the status of "city-state" or polis. The city's military as well as logistical significance lasted well into the long reign of the Byzantine Empire, even after the empire's capital was moved from Rome to Constantinople. Although Ankara temporarily fell into the hands of several Arab armies after the sixth century, it remained an important crossroads polis within the Byzantine Empire until the late eleventh century.

In 1071 Seljuk Sultan Alparslan threw open the door to Anatolia for the Turks by his victory at Malazgirt. He then annexed Ankara as Turkish territory in 1073. Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos recaptured the city, an important location for military transportation and natural resources, from the Turks during the First Crusade. Ankara was held by the Byzantines until the end of the twelfth century, when it passed out of Byzantine control forever. Orhan I, second "bey" of the Ottoman Empire captured the city in 1356. A rival Turkic leader, Timur Lenk, besieged Ankara as part of his campaign in Anatolia, but in 1403 Ankara was again under Ottoman control. The city was the center of an Ankara Province in the later years of the empire.

[[Image:Anitkabir.DO.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Anıtkabir, Atatürk's mausoleum]]

The leader of the Turkish nationalists, Kemal Atatürk, established the headquarters of his resistance movement in Ankara in 1919. After the War of Independence was won and the Ottoman Empire was dissolved, Turkey was declared a republic on October 29, 1923, Ankara having replaced İstanbul (formerly Constantinople) as the capital of the new Republic of Turkey on October 13, 1923.

After Ankara became the capital of the newly founded Republic, the city was divided into an old section, called Ulus, and a new section, called Yenişehir. Ancient buildings reflecting Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman history and narrow winding streets mark the old section. The new section, now centered around Kızılay, has the trappings of a modern city: wide streets, hotels, theaters, shopping malls, and high-rise buildings. Government offices and foreign embassies are also located in the new section.

Archaeological sites

Ankara's Temple of Augustus

The Ankara Citadel (Ankara Kalesi) is the oldest part of the city, and rests on a hill 978 meters high. It has hosted several civilizations at various periods of history. The foundations of the citadel were laid by the Galatians on a prominent lava outcrop. During the Galatian period the castle was enlarged and city walls added and brought to a position completely overlooking the town, and the rest was completed by the Romans. The Byzantines and Seljuk Turks made further restorations and additions.

Roman Ankara was a city of some importance, and several significant Roman structures remain, including a Roman theater, Temple of Augustus, Roman bath and the Column of Julian. This column, in Ulus, was erected in 362 C.E., to commemorate a visit by the Roman Emperor Julian the Apostate, nephew of Constantine the Great, and Rome's last pagan emperor. It stands 15 meters high and has a typical leaf decoration on the capital.

The Haci Bayram Mosque is in the Ulus quarter next to the Temple of Augustus. It was built in the early fifteenth century in Seljuk style by an unknown architect. It was subsequently restored by the famed Ottoman architect Sinan in the sixteenth century, with Kütahya tiles being added in the eighteenth century. The mosque was built in honor of Haci Bayram Veli, whose tomb is next to the mosque, two years before his death (1427-1428). Open space of this mosque is 437 square meters on the ground floor and 263 square meters on the second floor.

Modern Ankara

While Istanbul is steeped in centuries of history, and remains the country's business and financial center, Ankara is the showcase of modern Turkey. Modern Ankara is a planned city. When the Republic's founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk declared it the new nation's capital, it was a dusty Anatolian backwater of 30,000 people. He brought urban planners from Europe who created a city of broad avenues, green parks, and an artificial lake, all surrounded by modern residential and diplomatic residences.

At the heart of modern Ankara is Atatürk's mausoleum, Anıtkabir. It is located on an imposing hill in the Anittepe quarter of the city and is a place of pilgrimage for all Turks. Completed in 1953, it is an impressive fusion of ancient and modern architecture. An adjacent museum houses a wax statue of Atatürk, his writings, letters and personal items, as well as an exhibition of photographs recording important moments in his life and in the establishment of the Republic.

Ankara's premier museum is the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi). It is housed in a restored Ottoman covered market. It houses a unique collection of Paleolithic, Neolithic, Hatti, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian, and Roman works and showpiece Lydian treasures.

Kızılay, a popular destination for shopping in central Ankara

The War of Independence Museum (Kurtuluş Savaşı Müzesi) is in Ulus Square, and was the first parliament building of the Republic of Turkey. The War of Independence was planned and directed here as recorded in various photographs and items presently on exhibition. In another display, wax figures of former presidents of the Republic of Turkey are on exhibit.

Ankara has many parks and open spaces mainly established in the early years of the Republic which have been well maintained and expanded thereafter. The most important of these parks are: Gençlik Park (houses an amusement park with a large pond for rowing), the Botanical Garden, Seğmenler Park, Anayasa Park, Kuğulu Park (famous for the swans received as a gift from the Chinese government), Abdi Ipekci Park, Güven Park (see above for the monument), Kurtuluş Park (has an ice-skating rink), Altın Park (also a prominent exposition/fair area), Harikalar Diyari (claimed to be Biggest Park of Europe inside city borders) and Göksu Park.

Foreign visitors to Ankara usually like to visit the old shops in Çıkrıkçılar Yokuşu (Weavers' road) near Ulus, where a myriad of things ranging from traditional fabrics, hand-woven carpets and leather products can be found for bargain prices. The Bakırcılar Çarşısı (Bazaar of coppersmiths) is particularly popular, and many interesting items, not just of copper, can be found there like jewelry, carpets, costumes, antiques and embroidery. Up the hill to the castle gate, there are many shops selling a huge and fresh collection of spices, dried fruits, nuts, and other produce.

As Ankara started expanding westward in the 1970s, there were several modern, suburbia-style developments and mini-cities along the western highway, also known as Eskişehir road. The Armada mall on the highway, the Galleria in Ümitköy, and a huge mall in Bilkent Center offer North American and European style mall-shopping opportunities. (These can be reached following the Eskişehir highway). There is also the newly expanded Ankamall on the outskirts following the Istanbul highway which houses most well-known European brands. This mall is the largest in the Ankara region.

Universities

Ankara is known for the multitude of universities to which it is home. These include the following, several of them being among the most reputable of the country:

  • Ankara University
  • Atılım University
  • Başkent University
  • Bilkent University
  • Çankaya University
  • Gazi University
  • Gulhane Military Academy of Medicine Akademisi
  • Hacettepe University English and Turkish. www.hacettepe.edu.tr. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
  • Middle East Technical University English and Turkish. www.odtu.edu.tr. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
  • TOBB Economics And Technology University English and Turkish. www.etu.edu.tr. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
  • Ufuk University Turkish only. www.ufuk.edu.tr. Retrieved September 22, 2007.

Transportation

Metro map showing layout of the Ankara Rapid Transit Network

Esenboğa International Airport, located in the north of the city, is the main airport of Ankara.

Ankara Intercity Bus Terminal (Turkish: Ankara Şehirlerarası Terminal İşletmesi, AŞTİ) is an important part of the bus network which covers every neighborhood in the city.

The central train station "Ankara Garı" of Turkish Republic Railways (Turkish: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları, TCDD) is an important hub connecting the western and eastern parts of the country.

EGO (Elektrik Gaz Otobüs) operates the public transportation. There are currently two subway lines in the city and three more are under construction.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • "Ankara," Encyclopedia Britannica. 2007 Deluxe DVD Edition. ASIN B000GCBOJ8
  • Brosnahan, Tom and Pat Yale. Lonely Planet Turkey: A Travel Survival Kit. Lonely Planet Publications, 1996. ISBN 0864423640
  • Chapin-Metz, Helen, ed. Turkey: A Country Study, 5th edition. Claitor's Law Books and Publishing Division, 1997. ISBN 1579800556

External links

All links retrieved July 27, 2023.


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